Started CSS Profile before FAFSA opens Dec 1 - need urgent tips for Early Action deadlines
My daughter's applying Early Action to several schools and we just realized some require both the CSS Profile AND FAFSA. We've created our FSA IDs but discovered we can't actually submit the FAFSA until December 1st! Meanwhile, her first application deadline is November 15th! I started the CSS Profile yesterday but it's asking for tax information I don't have prepared yet. Does anyone know if colleges will accept just the CSS Profile first and then the FAFSA later? Or should I call each school's financial aid office? Has anyone navigated Early Action with these split deadlines? Feeling completely overwhelmed right now!
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Madeline Blaze
yep went thru this last yr!! most schools know abt the FAFSA delay this cycle. just submit CSS by ur deadline and theyll wait for FAFSA after dec 1. my son got into 2 EA schools doing it that way
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Tyler Lefleur
•Thank you! That's such a relief to hear. Did any schools give you trouble about the FAFSA coming later?
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Max Knight
This year is creating unique challenges with the FAFSA timeline shift. For Early Action applicants, most institutions understand the situation. I recommend: 1. Submit the CSS Profile before EA deadlines with your best estimates on financial information 2. Document in the additional information section that you'll be submitting FAFSA after December 1st 3. Contact each financial aid office to confirm their policy 4. Keep copies of all confirmation emails and submission receipts For the CSS Profile, gather your 2023 tax returns, W-2s, and recent pay stubs. Most schools are adapting their processes due to these federal delays. Remember that your daughter's admission decision and financial aid package are typically separate processes.
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Tyler Lefleur
•This is so helpful! I didn't know about using the additional information section to explain about the FAFSA delay. That makes total sense.
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Emma Swift
My niece applied last year and even without the FAFSA delay it was stressful! One thing nobody told us was that the CSS Profile costs money for each school you send it to (I think like $25 for the first one and $16 for each additional). Just a heads up if you're applying to lots of places!
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Tyler Lefleur
•Oh wow, I didn't realize there were fees involved! That could add up quickly with multiple schools. Thanks for the heads up!
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Max Knight
•Great point about the CSS Profile fees. However, College Board does offer fee waivers for eligible families. If your income is below certain thresholds or you qualified for an SAT fee waiver, you might be eligible. Worth checking into if cost is a concern!
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Isabella Tucker
CALL THE SCHOOLS!! Don't trust random internet advice for something this important! Every school has different policies and some might not be flexible about incomplete applications. My son almost missed out on a scholarship because we assumed the school would wait for his FAFSA. The financial aid websites rarely tell the whole story.
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Tyler Lefleur
•You're absolutely right - I'll start calling tomorrow morning. I just wanted to get a general sense of what to expect before getting on the phone with them.
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Jayden Hill
•Good luck getting through to them lol. I spent 3 DAYS trying to reach my daughter's top choice financial aid office last month. Kept getting put on hold forever then disconnected. So frustrating!!! 😡
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LordCommander
One important thing to know about the CSS Profile that confused me - it asks for different financial information than the FAFSA. CSS considers home equity, retirement accounts, and non-custodial parent finances in many cases. So it's actually a more comprehensive financial picture. If you're applying to highly selective private schools, they really do look at all this additional information when determining institutional aid. Also, for Early Action specifically, most schools I've dealt with (I'm a college counselor) are being flexible about the FAFSA delay this year - they'll make admission decisions with just the CSS Profile and then finalize aid packages once FAFSA data comes in. But definitely verify this with each school.
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Tyler Lefleur
•This is really helpful context. I didn't realize how much more detailed the CSS Profile is compared to FAFSA. Does this mean schools using both will basically see everything about our finances? That seems like a lot of disclosure for just applying to college.
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LordCommander
•Yes, schools that require both get a much more comprehensive picture of your finances. The FAFSA determines federal aid eligibility (Pell Grants, federal loans, work-study) using a standardized formula focused mainly on income and certain assets. The CSS Profile helps schools determine institutional aid (their own grants and scholarships) and often considers assets FAFSA doesn't count. Private colleges with large endowments often want this detailed picture to ensure they're distributing their institutional funds equitably. It can actually work in your favor if your income looks high on paper but you have circumstances the FAFSA doesn't capture.
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Jayden Hill
just fyi the css profile is a NIGHTMARE compared to fafsa!!! takes like 3x longer to fill out and asks for way more info. start it NOW if u havent yet
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Tyler Lefleur
•Oh no! I've only gotten through the first couple sections. How long did it take you to complete the whole thing?
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Jayden Hill
•took me like 4 hours with all the tax docs and stuff. and u have to do it all at once or it times out and u lose ur work!! super annoying
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Madeline Blaze
btw u know that the fafsa is totally changing this year right?? theres a new formula called SAI (student aid index) instead of EFC. supposed to be easier but nobody really knows how it'll work yet
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Lucy Lam
•You're absolutely right about the change from EFC to SAI. The new Student Aid Index replaces the old Expected Family Contribution, and it's more than just a name change. The formula calculations have been adjusted to more accurately reflect a family's ability to pay for college. Some key differences include: - Elimination of the sibling discount (multiple students in college) - Changes to income protection allowances - Different treatment of divorced/separated parents - Modified asset calculations For the original poster, this means your experience with financial aid this year might be quite different from what friends with older children experienced previously. The FAFSA simplification is meant to make the process easier, but any time there's a major system change, it can create confusion initially.
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Isabella Tucker
The whole system is RIDICULOUS! Early Action deadlines before FAFSA is even available?? Then they expect us to make decisions without knowing what aid we're getting? How are normal families supposed to navigate this mess? I'm so sick of this process and we've barely started. The College Board is making money off every CSS Profile submission while we all stress out. It's a racket.
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Emma Swift
•i feel this in my soul lol. we're on kid #3 and somehow it gets MORE confusing every time. different forms, different deadlines, different aid formulas. and heaven forbid you make a typo somewhere!
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Nia Thompson
I'm going through this exact same situation right now! My son is applying EA to 6 schools and I've been losing sleep over these overlapping deadlines. What I've learned so far: definitely start calling the financial aid offices directly because each school handles this differently. Some are super understanding about the FAFSA delay, others want everything submitted together. Also, if you're struggling to gather all the tax documents for CSS Profile, you can use estimates and update later - just make sure to note that in the comments section. The key is getting something submitted by the EA deadline rather than having an incomplete application. Hang in there, we're all figuring this out together!
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